Why do we hate the third installment so much?

[Keoul]

I don't understand why that scene gets so much shit. It's supposed to be laughably cringe-worthy because Peter's an awkward guy trying to be cool. No excuse for Venom, the other emo scenes, and pretty much everything else in the movie besides Sandman though.

Because it was superfluous and bad?
Why was it even in there? there was no reason for it, does the symbiote always turn people into socially awkward idiots dancing around society? the scene was just so terribly, a lot of people don't find that humorous, just stupid.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Spider Man 3 did suck. Those movies just seemed to go down hill every time they made one. For me, it seems like most trilogies follow this format:
First - Great
Second - Pretty bad compared to the first
Third - Good enough to make up for the second, but still not nearly as good as the first

I will say Spyro: Year of the Dragon was my favorite of the three (don't care at all for post-PS1 Spyro games). Oh, and Skate 3. That seemed like a great way to make a series. First I couldn't really play (got stuck too much without walking), second was great, and the third kept all the greatness of the second and fixed the clunkyness (like with the walking mechanics).

 

[Little Gray]

I think with games it has less to do with it being the third entry and more to them coming out to fast. The first game introduces all the characters and abilities and sets up a good plot. The second normally expands on that and is often better. Then the third one gets pushed out and people just get bored of it because its more of the same thing they have been playing. Developers often start to run out of ideas by the third game so it just doesnt feel different enough.



The perfect example of this for me is the god of war series. I thought the first two games were absolutely amazing and while the third one was on the same level I had just grown tired of it. I didnt want more of what made the first two amazing I wanted something different.

 

[PissOffRoth]

Title says it all. I never really understood why a lot of people seem to despise the third installment of a trilogy so much. From Spider-Man 3, to the Dark Knight Rises, to Mass Effect 3, audiences really seem to think that no matter what happens, the third installment of something a lot. Maybe I'm just starting to notice this or I haven't thought of a reason why, I just want to know why a lot of people seem to hate the third installment of something, weather it's the final installment or the next installment of a series.
Edit: Just wanted to make a quick clarification, I'm just using The Dark Knight Rises, Spider-Man 3, and ME 3 as examples. I don't think they're bad, although I admit I could of used better examples .

Yahtzee made reference to this in one of his ZP episodes, though I can't remember which. It all has to do with perception and comparison with the first 2 games. The first game will be solid but have some minor problems and be a little shy with features, not wanting to alienate players with their first installment.

The second game will be the best of the trilogy because the developers come out of their shell and get to experiment a lot more, having all the groundwork done with the first game. Our brains, being the pattern-finding machines that they are, expect the third game to be the best of all, following that trend.

It cannot be so. Developers have exhausted their good ideas, and so most of the time you either get the same thing as the 2nd game, or bad features. Also, the trilogy ends with the 3rd game, and because of modern development cycles becoming ever-shorter to meet deadlines, the end of the game will almost always be of lower quality than the rest of the work done on the game. Most endings will feel rushed, leave loopholes or unresolved conflicts. Things that you thought were important will be left out. It's just reality. Thankfully for developers, this 3rd instalment will be the last in the series, and because of the aforementioned hype coupled with fan loyalty, the 3rd game will sell well regardless. This may also contribute to the quality of the game, although I doubt it even crosses the developers' minds in most cases.

 

[IamQ]

The third installment sucks? But I like Jak 3. And I love SSX 3. And I love Burnout 3. And Rome: Total War was the third Total War game, and that games' amazing. Or what about Ratchet and Clank 3? That game introduced Dr. Nefarious, the series best villain so far.

 

[Snownine]

The third installments of the Mario, Zelda, and Metroid games are widely considered to be among the best entries in their respective series.

Edit: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles is also highly regarded.

 

[NightmareExpress]

If it's supposed to be the ending, expectations run unrealistically high.
Things are no longer introduced, but simply expanded on or have come to a relative standstill.
By that time, the original message (pitched in desperation) has simply become a money cow.

Those are three reasons that come to mind in an instant.
Plus, good sequels are just hard to do.

 

[Monster_user]

I'm just using The Dark Knight Rises, Spider-Man 3, and ME 3 as examples. I don't think they're bad, although I admit I could of used better examples .

Better Examples? Well, ME3 is probably out of place, but I think the other two fit just fine.


The Dark Knight Rises: Thumbs Down, hated it.

Long version (Spoilers):

Spoiler

The "main" plot is a retread of the first movie, just a less logical one. (Psychopathic anarchist suicide bombers, with a really big bomb.). They went from crazy masterminds, to just crazy.

They couldn't kill off Bruce Wayne, instead they had to go for a "Happy Ending".

The battles with Bane were laughable for non-Wrestling fans. The camera angles provided no sense of power, and there did not seem to be much strategy. Batman just fought Bane. In the end, Batman just fought Bane with his fists. It almost seemed to be pure luck that allowed Batman to beat Bane.

Batman was out of shape for most of the movie, and may have never gotten back into proper fighting form (I can't tell). Batman was weak.

It failed to have any emotional impact for me. The villians seemed one dimensional. I didn't care what happened to any of the main characters. Well, I cared a little about Catwoman, as she had an interesting back story. I would say the supporting cast overshadowed the main cast.

Spider-Man 3: Thumbs Down.

Long version (Spoilers):

Spoiler

Too much going on to appreciate in a single sitting.

Tobey and that dorky confidence just wasn't entertaining. It wasn't funny, and it didn't convey much other than "here comes doofus". This looked like something Peter Parker would do, but not something I would every want to actually see. Leave it as a single frame of a comic.

Mass Effect 3: Decent game, a badly broken ending. IT STILL ISN'T FIXED!

Long version (Spoilers):

Spoiler

I have mixed feelings about the game itself. I didn't like that everybody and their mother seemed to be hitting on me (or was Liara's mother/father/it threatening me?)

The story didn't seem to reach its full potential, although it came painfully close.

Then there is that awful ending. It was extended with the "Extended Cut" DLC, but it wasn't fixed. The entire series seems to have been made JUST to prove the ME3 ending wrong. Its like they started with that ending, said it was the target, and decided to shoot as many plot holes into it as possible with a fully automatic assault rifle.

The new DLC fixed very few problems, mostly just the whole "the galaxy just self destructed" thing, and a minor niggle about Joker retreating, but beyond those it actually introduces new problems.

 

[Thoughtful_Salt]

well am going to buy AC3 today and find out for myself why people are not liking it as much as AC2 again which i really enjoyed.

NOOOOOO. there's still time, just keep your money and buy borderlands 2, Fallout 3, Skyrim, or even Hitman Absolution, all of those are superior games in almost every way except graphics, which you can get over. I played through AC3 and I hated it, because the narrative essentially undermined the open world aspects and Connor handles like someone trying to catch a wet jellyfish. I'm reviewing this and I can tell you, don't buy it.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

Often times people reach too far or change too much about a series. It's not that 3rd parts are automatically despised; it's that writers/producers/whoever decide that the original concept isn't good enough. They feel a compulsive need to make it 'better' and they often fall flat on their faces while doing so.

There's plenty of trilogies that do a great job of maintaining and improving on their core product. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was the best of the trilogy(Yes fuck you, I disown the 4th.) The Return of the King was a fine end to the films and the books. So was the Bourne Ultimatum, Back to the Future 3, Grand Theft Auto 3, even Revenge of the Sith was the best of it's set of 3.

People just really dislike it when an otherwise good series gets fucked up by the ending. They add in Ewoks in some retarded nonsensical Cameronian appeal to bows are somehow better than laser rifles. They make Spiderman act like an idiot, turn emo and start dancing down the street while singing. They add a villain with a ridiculous voice that's difficult to take seriously; scenes where armed terrorists with assault rifles get charged by cops with shotguns and hand guns and everyone starts punching like they forgot how guns work; and an ending that doesn't work because Bruce Wayne is hugely rich/famous and would have been recognized very quickly. Mass Effect 3 randomly jumps you with a weird ending that breaks good writing conventions by introducing new characters and random new ideas that where thematically contradictory to the entire direction of the series. Fallout 3 contradicted the tone, lore and ignored the writing style of the previous games. Assassins Creed 3 moved away from the parkour free running and added the series most boring protagonist who whines about how killing is wrong while being an ASSASSIN.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

You know what's a really good third installment? And is widely considered to be one of the most successful JRPGs in history?

Spoiler

Persona 3

Yeah, this game revolutionized the Persona franchise. It took the short-comings of the first two games (random battles, slow gameplay, uninteresting stories that drag on too long, etc) and improved them beyond beyond imagination.

It gave you characters you could emotionally attach to, a fantastic story with a conclusion that feels just right, kick-ass music, an epic final boss, and so much more.

I think I'll also chip in by saying that Ratchet & Clank 3, Fallout 3, Disgaea 3, Far Cry 3, and Metal Gear Solid 3 all hold a very special place in my cold, dried out heart.